Eating behaviours and personality characteristics of clinicians and researchers working in eating disorders

ABSTRACT

Disturbances in eating behaviours and differences in personality characteristics, such as perfectionism, cognitive flexibility, and obsessive-compulsive behaviours, are commonly reported in individuals with eating disorders (ED) and can influence the development and maintenance of EDs. The presence of these characteristics in ED professionals may also have an influence on their patients. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the presence of these behaviours and characteristics in ED clinicians/researchers (EDCR). This study examined whether these constructs differed amongst 83 EDCR and 47 general mental health clinicians/researchers (MHCR), who completed an online survey, measuring eating disorder symptomology, orthorexia nervosa, perfectionism, cognitive flexibility, and obsessive-compulsive traits. Significantly less dietary restraint, eating concerns and orthorexia nervosa behaviours, but significantly poorer ability to seek out alternative solutions (i.e. a component of cognitive flexibility) were found in the EDCR group compared with the MHCR group. Moderation analysis found no effect of ED history on the relationship between eating behaviours and group. These results suggest that working in the ED field may be a protective factor against developing certain disordered eating behaviours. However, poorer cognitive flexibility may adversely impact EDCRs, and should be considered when carrying out their clinical and/or research duties.

Acknowledgments

A/Prof Phillipou and Dr Toh were supported by National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Project Grants (CIA: GNT1159953; CIA: GNT1161609, respectively). The authors would also like to thank all of the participants who took the time to participate in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10640266.2023.2293502

Additional information

Funding

This work was not supported by any funding.